Abstract
Increased breast tissue stiffness is correlated with breast cancer risk and invasive cancer progression. However, its role in promoting bone metastasis, a major cause of mortality, is not yet understood. It is previously identified that the composition and stiffness of alginate-based hydrogels mimicking normal (1–2 kPa) and cancerous (6–10 kPa) breast tissue govern phenotype of breast cancer cells (including MDA-MB-231) in vitro. Here, to understand the causal effect of primary tumor stiffness on metastatic potential, a new breast-to-bone in vitro model is described. Together with alginate-gelatin hydrogels to mimic breast tissue, 3D printed biohybrid poly-caprolactone (PCL)-composite scaffolds, decellularized following bone-ECM deposition through Saos-2 engraftment, are used to mimic the bone tissue. It is reported that higher hydrogel stiffness results in the increased migration and invasion capacity of MDA-MB 231 cells. Interestingly, increased expression of osteolytic factors PTHrP and IL-6 is observed when MDA-MB-231 cells pre-conditioned in stiffer hydrogels (10 kPa, 3% w/v gelatin) colonize the bone/PCL scaffolds. The new breast-to-bone in vitro models herein described are designed with relevant tissue microenvironmental factors and could emerge as future non-animal technological platforms for monitoring metastatic processes and therapeutic efficacy.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2201898 |
Number of pages | 1 |
Journal | Advanced Healthcare Materials |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | 3 |
Early online date | 9 Nov 2022 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published (in print/issue) - Jan 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2022 The Authors. Advanced Healthcare Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.
Keywords
- Pharmaceutical Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Biomaterials
- invasive potential
- breast-to-bone metastasis
- in vitro models
- matrix stiffness
- alginate hydrogels
- decellularized PCL scaffolds